Omaha daily bee., 1887-05-30

StlNt tut lSpuullNuuS VI SuJoho
county, Ohio, are proposing to do this,
and to adopt what is known as the
Crawford county plan" This plan
was put in operation several years ago
by the republicans of Crawford county,
Pennsylvania, and was found to work so
satisfactorily that it is now in force gen.
orally throughout that state. 1t has been
adopted also in several OHIO counties,
where it has given entire satisfaction.
This plan simply is, that before every
election, instead of holding caucuses and
conventions, each party has primary
election. All the candidates for Office
are before the people and are voted upon.
The republican candidates who re
cciyc the majority of the votes of that
party are made the candidates of the party
on election day, and are then voted
upon by the citizens at large as opposed
to the candidates of the other parties.
The course to be pur-
sued Is thus explained by
the chairman of the Cuyahoga county
republican committee Shortly before
the election the committee will issue
proclamation calling upon the republican
voters to assemble on given day to
vote upon the party candidates and eX-
plain the way in which the balloting is to
be done All republican candidates will
be requested to notify the committee be-
fore certain time as to whether or not
they desire to have their names go before
the voters of the party at the primary
election. The committee will then have
two sets of tickets printed at the expense
of the candidates, one for the legislative
candidates and the other for the county
candidates. On the legislative ticket will
be found the names of all the known re-
publican candidates for legislative hon
ors and on the county ticket will be the
names of all republicans who wish
to compete for the county offices, the lists
being properly grouped. These tickets
Will be given to the ward and township
committeeman, and will be the only
officially correct ballots. On the day of
the primary election the polls will be
open during a reasonable length of time,
from O'Clock in the afternoon until 8 in
the evening. A voter on receiving he
| tickets, will erase all the names but those
| of the candidates for whom he wishes to
| cast his ballot. Should be be satisfied
| with none of the men who have been
| proposed to the committee rs candidates,
blank lines will be provided in the tickets
upon which he can write the names of
| those whom he thinks should be the can
didates of the party. When the polls are
closed, the judges and clerks, who will
be appointed by the county central
| onp,niffan will opunt IN, ballot q
and forward the tally sheets to the
committee. The latter will as soon as
| possible canvass the returns in the same
manner as they are now canvassed by the
board of elections. The names of the
candidates who have received the great
est number of votes for the different
offices will be placed on the republican
ticket to be voted upon on election day.
This plan would consume more time
than by the old way, and pehaps be
somewhat more expensive, but expert
ence with it where it has been tried has
shown that the results are more satisfac.
tory. 1t greatly reduces, if il does not
entirely destroy, the power of rings and
factions to make up ''slates" and "iiX
things" it cuts down to q very small
margin the chances of those chronic
placc-hunters who have to look chiefly
to the rabble in politics for prefer
ment; it discourages tho efforts OF
the demagogues and the business of the
political heelers and strikers; it shuts the
door against great deal OF corruption
that is common under the caucus anC
convention system. 1t affords to every
man who desires public office full and
fair opportunity to 90 before the people
and demonstrate his popularity, and OF
the other hand it allows every voter t.
indicate who he prefers for any publ,
position, regardless of whether such per
son is named as a candidate or not Ger
tainly if under this plan the voters d.
not select worthy and clean men tn,
fault will be wholly with themselves
since they will have it in their power tt
defeat combinations to foist upon then
unworthy and corrupt candidates.